How does the TOAD compare ? A sampling of the questions and answers about the advantages of our solution.

>Can it be maintained in the field ?

The key design question should be "Can an afghan mechanic who only knows how to fix a bus maintain this in the field ?"
These craft can be maintained by third world mechanics with limited funding and tools in a combat zone. The engine is a simple four stroke design and the airframe does not have complicated, fragile subsystems.

> Why is this better than a Robinson light helicopter ?

It is much simpler mechanically, especially the rotor head, as there is no collective control on our autogyro. Its Rotax engine uses a lot less gas than a Robinson, typically 3 to 4 gallon an hour compared to an R22 7 to 10 gallons according to their web site so we can stay in the air for 6 to 7 hours at a time.
The TOAD is also classified as an ultralight so flight certification is cheaper and faster to get. An autogyro is easy to fly, an R22 is still an helicopter with all the complex flight controls that go with it. Usually around 20 hours of training from no flight experience to ultralight license, and then after flying on your own for another 30 hours you are considered "experienced" enough to ferry a passenger. So I guess it plays in the "no need to be an officer" creed to fly it. We think that the actual end user can be the pilot.
Also the new design (1+2) we are working on will allow, with its bigger cabin, a central pilot and 2 jump seats on the side for observers/operators/cargo.
Overall specs are close to an R22 (or even an R44 with the new airframe), we traded the hovering capability for simpler and cheaper to operate airframe.

"I'm a big fan of minimalist low tech/no tech stuff." There has got to be an airplane being made, right now, that they could strap some radios into, add a minigun or two, and maybe something bigger, and get up in the air in large numbers, at a relatively low cost.
-- EM2(SS)
Taken from a discussion at Defense Tech : "A COIN Aircraft come back".

>How is the C-LVL different from the Groen Hawk 4/Hawk 5 Gyroplanes, are they all related ?

They are related in the sense that they are both autogyros.
But the C-LVL TOAD is a third the price and has a mechanically much simpler design (4 stroke Rotax engine and simple rotor head) so it is easier to maintain. It is also a much smaller machine that can be moved on the back of a pick up truck so it can be transported with the unit it is supporting untill needed.

C-LVL